replacing rear 2 tires

1363 Views 16 Replies 11 Participants Last post by JARMO, Apr 20, 2009

E34M5

Discussion Starter · Apr 19, 2009

The local indy Volvo shop recommended replacing all four tires at the same time. car has 45k miles now. we got it at 15k with the stock tires, which were toast. we put pilot sports a/s on, which have been nice enough. now the rears are done, but the fronts are still pretty good.

is there any real problem with replacing only the rear tires? is there a real chance of overheating the central diff? what else could go wrong?

thanks!

1 - 17 of 17 Posts

MagoonR

· #2 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (E34M5)

Quote, originally posted by E34M5 »

The local indy Volvo shop recommended replacing all four tires at the same time. car has 45k miles now. we got it at 15k with the stock tires, which were toast. we put pilot sports a/s on, which have been nice enough. now the rears are done, but the fronts are still pretty good.

is there any real problem with replacing only the rear tires? is there a real chance of overheating the central diff? what else could go wrong?

IIRC, the Haldex will tolerate traed depth differences of maybe 3/32-4/32 without issue. That said, there is no way that 30K mile Pilot Sport A/S tires will be that close to new ones............so I vote for four tires.

Token Blk Guy

· #3 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (MagoonR)

Agreed with MagoonR. This actually JUST happened to me today. I had a blowout on the front right tire and took it to my Tire guy at discount tire. He said since the remaining tires have about 4/32 left putting a new tire on the car would severly alter the performance and safety of the haldex system. He even called volvo to see if we could replace 2 of the tires and Volvo said anything below 4/32 you have to replace all 4 tires, 2 wouldnt work. So we went ahead and ordered 4 new tires. Its really sucked replacing all 4 since I was going to use that money for something else. But i guess you have to pay to play.

Vince was also telling me that Subaru and Audi have even more restrictions on their tire replacement requirements. AWD is great but when it comes time for tires and flats,blowouts etc, it can get pricey.

dradernh

· #4 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (E34M5)

Quote, originally posted by E34M5 »

we put pilot sports a/s on, which have been nice enough. now the rears are done, but the fronts are still pretty good.

Any idea how you wore out the rears ahead of the fronts on what is, for all normal intents and purposes, a front-wheel drive car; if you know, how many 32nds are there left on the fronts?

sh8kdwn

· #5 · Apr 19, 2009

As much as it would be great to do just 2 I think the mileage warrants replacement of all 4.

97GLTbrick

· #6 · Apr 19, 2009

Yes it does allow you to just do 2 tires but in your situation you dont have enough tread depth left on the other two remaining tires so my reconmendation is all 4 and this is what we go through all teh time at the dealer i was at for the last 4 years becasue the salsmen dont mention this point to the cust then they get mad at us and the salesmen are like no they dont have to and we are like ok whatever but they do so anyway i rec. all 4

T5 for Life

· #7 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: (97GLTbrick)

Everything I've read while deciding what tires to go for indicated that the Pilot Sports don't wear that well.

All 4.

MagoonR

· #8 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: (T5 for Life)

Quote, originally posted by T5 for Life »

Everything I've read while deciding what tires to go for indicated that the Pilot Sports don't wear that well.

All 4.

But the OP has the Pilot Sport A/S; which will show better wear tendencies than the summer only tires.

ZenZone

· #9 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: (T5 for Life)

Quote, originally posted by T5 for Life »

Everything I've read while deciding what tires to go for indicated that the Pilot Sports don't wear that well.

All 4.

I'm currently running the Pilot Sport A/S Plus which is the only Z rated A/S tire with a mileage warranty (45k). I had to replace one this week due to road hazard. Picked up a screw in the front right - had it patched which derates the speed rating - then, picked up another screw in front left the next day. The second incident (front left) called for replacement under warranty, and Costco prorated the right front. So basically got two new tires for less than the cost of one new tire.

I had about 12k on all four tires before replacement, so the back tires were within spec. to accept new ones on the front (thankfully). According to Volvo, the new tires were placed on the back versus the front which surprised me.

The PS A/S Plus is a new compound, and I think they are going to be replacing a lot of tires under warranty. They do seem to be wearing faster than expected.

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MagoonR

· #10 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: (ZenZone)

Quote, originally posted by ZenZone »

According to Volvo, the new tires were placed on the back versus the front which surprised me.

Many discussions on this subject as well. Better rear tires are supposed to reduce the possbility of losing the back end. But since this is a FWD biased AWD vehicle, the fronts will wear quicker than the rears which will exacerbate the tread depth difference and potantially cause Haldex issues.

Needsdecaf

· #11 · Apr 19, 2009

Re: (ZenZone)

Quote, originally posted by ZenZone »

I'm currently running the Pilot Sport A/S Plus which is the only Z rated A/S tire with a mileage warranty (45k). I had to replace one this week due to road hazard. Picked up a screw in the front right - had it patched which derates the speed rating - then, picked up another screw in front left the next day. The second incident (front left) called for replacement under warranty, and Costco prorated the right front. So basically got two new tires for less than the cost of one new tire.

I had about 12k on all four tires before replacement, so the back tires were within spec. to accept new ones on the front (thankfully). According to Volvo, the new tires were placed on the back versus the front which surprised me.

The PS A/S Plus is a new compound, and I think they are going to be replacing a lot of tires under warranty. They do seem to be wearing faster than expected.

Why new tires on the back, where the wear is less?

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ZenZone

· #12 · Apr 20, 2009

Re: (Needsdecaf)

Quote, originally posted by Needsdecaf »

Why new tires on the back, where the wear is less?

My exact thoughts - Volvo's point is basically what Magoon stated above. The lead tech at Costco would not deviate from the recommended spec. Actually, I couldn't argue with him - following the specs. I will drive it for a week or so until it's time for another trip to Costco - have them rotate the new ones to the front while grocery shopping.

With the new tires up front, the wear should be fairly close to the older ones (on the back) after 10k miles.

JARMO

· #13 · Apr 20, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (MagoonR)

Quote, originally posted by MagoonR »

IIRC, the Haldex will tolerate traed depth differences of maybe 3/32-4/32 without issue. That said, there is no way that 30K mile Pilot Sport A/S tires will be that close to new ones............so I vote for four tires.

WRONG....
With the Haldex, tirewear-difference between front and rear doesn't matter. (haldex is NOT the visco-coupling as in previous awd's, no slipping parts).

only 2 rear tires needed as anytime (new tires to the rear, the rears to the front).

Best tires at the back anytime http://********************/smile/emlove.gif

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adykes

· #14 · Apr 20, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (JARMO)

The Haldex is not like the previous gen AWD systems, however it is still good practice to keep the tyre diameters even. The Haldex is still a multi plate wet clutch setup and if the front or rear are of markedly different overall diameters then you could see overheating of the fluid in the Haldex AOC.

JARMO

· #15 · Apr 20, 2009

2

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (adykes)

Quote, originally posted by adykes »

The Haldex is not like the previous gen AWD systems, however it is still good practice to keep the tyre diameters even. The Haldex is still a multi plate wet clutch setup and if the front or rear are of markedly different overall diameters then you could see overheating of the fluid in the Haldex AOC.

keep it even coz you're not sure? or becaucse we have so much failing T-splits (which is NOT a part of the haldex)?
I think MOST owners here at SS kept the tires as even as possible (not me) but they killed it also

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adykes

· #16 · Apr 20, 2009

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (JARMO)

Quote, originally posted by JARMO »

keep it even coz you're not sure? or becaucse we have so much failing T-splits (which is NOT a part of the haldex)?

Keep it even so you don't overheat your AOC fluid. The uneven tyre size would be unlikely to contribue to collar gear wear. Overheated AOCs are never any fun.

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JARMO

· #17 · Apr 20, 2009

5

Re: replacing rear 2 tires (adykes)

Quote, originally posted by adykes »

Keep it even so you don't overheat your AOC fluid.

doing my own test, using some "Ferrari F1 gearbox"-stuff inside the T-split. hey, I'm cheap-kate if i could save 1500EUR witch using 20EUR stuf instead of 5EUR oil

The overheating of oil has in general NOTHING to do with tire-wear-differences f-r, only with driving-style

but it will fail sooner or later on any

(T-split, huge problem in belgium on the XC90.. sure only D5 sold with torque

)

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